Article treating apparatus



Aug. 20, 1957 G. H. HAGERMAN ARTICLE TREATING APPARATUS 3 shets-sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 23, 1951 Mm N. h Q.

INVENTOR. 67; e5 7 /7, 1744-50441;

flu! ML ATT R NEYS 1957 G. H. HAGERMAN ARTICLE TREATING APPARATUS s Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Nov. 23, 1951 INVENTOR. alas/e7- H. 19405151 14, BY

ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 20, 1957 G. H. HAGERMAN 2,303,332

- ARTICLE TREATING APBARATUS v Original Filed Nov. '23, 1951 s Sheets-Sheet s I N V EN TOR. 671. BE T fi fiaa nmq/v,

BY Z Z 14A ATTORNEYS.

2,803,332 Patented Aug. 20, 1957 ARTICLE 'I'REATKNG APPARATUS SCIaimS. (Cl. 198-33) This invention relates to an apparatus for treating articles, and particularly articles which are symmetrical about an axis while these articles are translated along a path and rotated about an axis. This applica ion is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 257,743, filed November 23, 1951, now Patent No. 2,695,595, issued November 30, 1954. There are many manufacturing operations wherein an article is to be given a treatment of one sort or another where it is desirable that the article during its treatment be both rotated and translated. The treatment may involve a dipping of the article in a treating solution where it is desirable to dip only peri .-heral portionso'f the article, and the treatment further nay involve passage through a heat treating oven or the like.

Among various treatments for which the present apparatus is particularly well adapted is the treatment of electrical elements, such as electric motor armatures, to provide them with an insulating varnish. .In such a treat ment the armature is dipped in a varnish and is then heat treated in an oven. The treatment is sometimes repeated and it .is desirable that the armature be slowly rotated during'its treatment so that a uniform deposit of treating liquid is picked up by -the article, and so that the article is uniformly heat treated.

In connection with the provision of an apparatus as above .outlined, there is .a considerable problem in connection with providing acarrier for such articles where the articles may be of different sizes and shapes. From a production standpoint it is highly desirable that a particular carrier be able to carry articles of various sizes.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus as above outlined in which a carrier for articles to be treated is provided, which is arranged to accept and carry articles of a variety of sizes.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device as outlined wherein means are provided for translating a carrier or holder, and an article held thereby along a path, while at the same time imparting slow rotation to the article.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a structure as outlined above which will be simple and relatively inexpensive to construct, and relatively foolproof in operation.

These and other objects of the invention, which will be pointed out ,in more detail hereinafter or which will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, are accomplished "by that certain construction and arrangement of parts of which the following is an exemplary embodiment.

Reference is made to the drawings forming a part hereof and in which:

Fi ure 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of an apparatus according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of one of the article holders on a greatly enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the same taken on a'line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 3a is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a modified article holding pin;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view through the apparatus taken on a line 44 ,of Figure 1 on a greatly enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on a line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on a line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side elevation of a conveyor element used in the invention; and

Figure 8 is across sectional view taken on a line 88 of Figure 2.

Briefly, in the practice of the invention the article which is substantially symmetrical about an axis is held between pins which are rotatively mounted in a frame. One of the pins is fixed against axial movement with respect to the frame, and the other pin can move axially and is spring-pressed in the direction of the other pin. In this way articles of different lengths may be held by spring pressure between the holding pins. Wheel elements are provided upon which the holder may ride, and tooth- Wheel elements are secured to the wheels to engage tooth elements along the path of travel to impart rotation to the pins and thus to the article held thereby.

Referring now in more detail to the drawings, I have shown in Figure l a diagrammatic representation of an apparatus according to the invention wherein a preheating ovenis shown in broken lines at A, a first dip bath is shown at 'B, a first treating oven is shown at C,.a second dip bath is shown at D, and a second treatment oven is shown at ,E. Articles to be treated in this exemplary embodiment will travel from left to right and will be subjected first to a pro-heating, then a dip, then i a baking ceration, followed by a seconddip and a final baking operation. The holders, or carriers, in which the articles to be treated are carried, are indicated at 10, and these holders move along a track 11 which will be provided with the'humps 12 .and the depressed portions 13 for the dip bathsB and D. Return tracks for the holders are indicated at 14, and it will be observed that the tracks 11 are downwardly curved around the ends of the apparatus, as indicated at Ma, and the tracks 14 are upwardly curved around the end of the apparatus as indicated at 14a. .A ,conveyer element comprises a chain 15 which passes around the sprocket 16, one at each end of the machine, and the chain i5 is provided with the upstanding lugs 17, which engage the various holders 1%.

From a general standpoint, it will be clear that the conveyor .15 moves in a clockwise direction with the upper .fiight moving toward the right, and the lower flight :to-

ward the left in Figure 1. .As the conveyor 15 moves toward the right, the various upstanding lugs 17 carry along with them the holders it). The holders 10 roll along the tracks ll until the right-hand end of the apparatus is reached where the holders gradually are transferred from the curved portion lla to the curved portion 14a, so that theyreturn toward the left end of the machine on the tracks 14. At the left-hand end of the machine they gracually are transferred from the curved tracks 14a to the curved tracks 11a, and thence to the upper racks 11.

Coming now to a more detailed description of the holders, and referring particularly to Figures 2, 3 and 8, it will be seen that these consist generally of a frame 20. At each end of the frame 2% there is provided a block 21 which is secured to the frame 20 as'by welding. As seen in Figure 8, the block 21 is rectangular in end elevation, and it is the block 21 at each end of the holder which is engaged between the upstanding lugs v17 of the conveyor 15. -It will be understood that the blocks 21 may slide freely between the lugs 17 so that as the holders pass over-the humps 1'2 and into the depressions 13, the

block 21 may slide up and down with respect to the lugs 17.

Ball bearing races are preferably formed in the blocks 21 as best seen in Figure 3 at 21a.

Referring now more particularly to the right-hand end of the holder of Figures 2 and 3, the block 21 is perforated for the passage of a sleeve 22, and on the sleeve is mounted a wheel 23 to which is secured a sprocket 24. The assembly of the wheel 23 and sprocket 24 is secured to the sleeve 22 by means of a set screw as shown. The wheel 23 is formed with a bearing race 23a to cooperate with the bearing race 21a mentioned before. At the outer end of the sleeve 22 there is provided a collar 25 secured to the sleeve by a set screw 26 and having a screw 27 engaging a flat 28 on the pin 29. The pin 29 passes through the sleeve 22 and extends to the interior of the frame 20. 'At its inner end the pin 29 is formed with a conical point 30.

It will be clear from the above description that the pin 29 may be preset in any desired axial position by means of the screw 27, and that once the screw 27 has been tightened the pin 29,'collar 25, wheel 23, sprocket 24, and sleeve 22 form a unit which is rotatable with respect to the block 21 through the two ball bearings shown. 7

The structure at the left-hand end of the holder is slightly modified in that the sleeve member 31, which corresponds to the sleeve 22, has secured to its outer end the elongated spring-retaining bolts 32. The pin 33 is non-rotatable with respect to the sleeve 31 and its associated parts by virtue of the flat 34 and screw 35, but it has secured to its outer end the collar 36, which is provided with apertures 37 for the passage of the spring bolts 32. Springs 38 are disposed over the bolts 32 between the heads thereof and the collar 36. By this construction the pin 33 is caused to rotate with the wheel 39 and sprocket40. It can be moved axially and it is spring urged toward the right.

In Figures 2 and 3, the dotted rectangle 41 indicates a symmetrical article to be held in the holder. Generally such articles will have center holes at opposed ends, and the points and 30a of the pins 29 and 33 may be engaged with such center holes to hold the article 41 tightly between them. In the event that the article, or its shaft, is centerless ground, the modification of Figure 3a is used. Here the pin 29a terminates in a bell center 2912, for engagement with the article 41a. From the foregoing description, it will be clear that the assembly of the wheels 23 and 39, sprockets 24 and 40, pins 29 and 33, and the article 41, will be freely rotatable with respect to the frame 20 on the various ball bearings shown.

Referring now to Figure 4, the tracks 11 can be very clearly seen with the wheels 23 and 39 riding upon them. The engagement of the block 21 with the lugs 17 of the conveyer 15 can also be seen clearly.

In order to provide for a positive drive in rotation of the articles to be treated, a sprocket chain is provided alongside of each track 11 as indicated at 42. Thus, the wheels 23 and 39 resting on the tracks 11 support the weight of the holder and the article held thereby, while the engagement of the sprockets 24 and 40 with the chains 42, ensures rotation of the article as it is being translated by the lugs 17. It will be understood that if a positive drive is not required, as for example, if the coefiicient of friction between the wheels 23 and 39, and the tracks 11, is sufiiciently high, the sprockets 40 and 24 and chains 42, could be eliminated. It should be further understood that this invention is not limited to the use of sprockets and chains, and that the terms, fixed tooth element and circular tooth elemen are inclusive of racks and spur gears, or pins and pin wheels and other similar well known mechanical expedients. The tracks 11, sprockets 40 and 24, and conveyer 15 may be suitably mounted 4 upon a part of the framework of the machineas indicated generally at 50.

At the lower portion of the figure another holder is shown during its return movement, and it will be observed that the wheels 23 and 39 are now riding upon the track 14, and that the lugs 17 are now in inverted position, and that the sprocket chains 42 have been omitted. The reason for this omission, of course, is that on the lower flight the holders are simply being returned to starting position and there is norequirement that they be uniformly and positively rotated.

The various details of the piping for the baths B and D will not be described since the particular treatment does not form a part of the present invention.

Figure 6 is quite similar to Figure 4 except that it shows a section through an exemplary baking oven E, wherein infra red lamps or the like may be provided, as at 69. The walls of the oven B will preferably be of insulating material.

It will be clear that numerous minor modifications may -be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. It will also be clear that I have provided a holder which can be used to accept without adjustment articles of a great variety of sizes, and which with a minor adjustrnent will accept a still wider range of sizes.

In the operation of the apparatus it will only be necessary to have an operator at the left-hand end as seen in Figure 1 who withdraws the pins 33 and places the articles 40 in position as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and then places the holders in proper engagement with the lugs 17. At the right-hand end of the machine. it is only necessary to have an operator to remove the finished articles from the holder. The holders are returned automatically to their starting positions. Of course a single operator at the left-hand end of the machine can both remove the finished articles as well as load further articles to be treated. In this case the treated articles travel around the right-hand end of the machine and toward the left underneath the machine. It will also be clear that the depth to which the articles are to be peripherally treated can be determined by the depth of the treatment tanks B and D, and by the depth of the depressions 13 in the tracks in the region of the treatment bath. Similarly, the invention is applicable to treatments where no baking is performed, but a dipping operation only; and similarly to an operation where there is no dipping but only a heat treatment.

In fine, what I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for treating articles which are substantially symmetrical about an axis, while rotating them about said axis and translating them along a path; an article holder adapted to travel along said path, a conveyor for translating said holder along said path, mutually engageable means on said holder and conveyor for imparting translating movement from said conveyor to said holder, said holder comprising a pair of article holding pins rotatably mounted in axially aligned relation at opposite ends of said holder, one of said pins being fixed against axial movement, and the other of said pins being capable of axial movement and being spring urged in the direction of the other pin, sprocket means nonrotatably secured to said pins, and a fixed tooth element extending along said path, said sprocket means being in a position to engage said fixed tooth element when said holder is positioned for movement along said path so as to impart rotation to said sprocket means and the pins secured thereto when said holder is translated along said path.

2. In a machine for treating articles which are substantially symmetrical about an axis, while rotating them about said axis and transla ing them along a path; a pair of tracks defining said path, an article holder adapted to travel along said path on said tracks, a conveyor for translating said holder along said path, mutually engageable means on said holder and conveyor for imparting translating movement from said conveyor to said holder, said holder comprising a pair of article holding pins ro tatably mounted in axially aligned relation at opposite ends of said holder, one of said pins being fixed against axial movement, and the other of said pins being capable of axial movement and being spring urged in the direction of the other pin, a fixed tooth element extending along said path, and a circular tooth element non-rotatably secured to said pins in a position to engage said fixed tooth element when said holder is positioned on said tracks, whereby to impart rotation to said circular tooth element and the pins secured thereto when said holder is translated along said path.

3. In a machine for treating articles which are substantially symmetrical about an axis, while rotating them about said axis and translating them along a path; an article holder adapted to travel along said path, moving means for translating said holder along said path, mutually engageable means on said holder and said holder moving means for imparting translating movement from said moving means to said holder, said holder including a pair of axially aligned pins rotatably mounted at opposite ends of said holder, at least one of said pins being capable of axial movement to accommodate articles of different sizes, a fixed tooth element extending along said path, and a circular tooth element non-rotatably secured to said pins, in a position to engage said fixed tooth element when said holder is positioned for movement along said path, whereby to impart rotation to said circular tooth element and the pins secured thereto when said holder is translated along said path.

4. The device claimed in claim 3 wherein said holder moving means comprises a conveyor having spaced apart pairs of upstanding lugs, wherein said holder includes a frame having a block at each end thereof adapted to be engaged between the upstanding pairs of lugs on the conveyor, and wherein said blocks are nonrotatably held between said pairs of lugs and yet freely slidable therebetween in a direction normal to the common axis of said pins.

5. The device claimed in claim 4 wherein said pins are rotatably journaled in said blocks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,388,126 Dettle Oct. 30, 1945 2,598,201 Williams et al. May 27, 1952 2,616,549 Ornitz Nov. 4, 1952 

